"I
couldn't marry him. I'd rather die, and so I ran away. I
was going to be a tramp; but I had no idea a tramp's
existence was so adventurous. You won't make me marry
him, Daddy, will you? I wouldn't be happy, Daddy."
"I should say not, Gail; you can be an old maid all
your life if you want to."
"But I don't want to--I only want to choose my own
husband," replied Abigail.
Mrs. Prim met them all in the living-room. At sight of
Abigail in the ill-fitting man's clothing she raised her
hands in holy horror; but she couldn't see Bridge at
all, until Burton found an opportunity to draw her to
one side and whisper something in her ear, after which
she was graciousness personified to the dusky Bridge, in-
sisting that he spend a fortnight with them to recuper-
ate.
Between them, Burton and Jonas Prim fitted Bridge
out as he had not been dressed in years, and with the
feel of fresh linen and pressed clothing, even if ill fitting,
a sensation of comfort and ease pervaded him which the
man would not have thought possible from such a source
an hour before.
He smiled ruefully as Burton looked him over. "I ven-
ture to say," he drawled, "that there are other things in
the world besides the open road.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194